Akar Yunomi Inventational 2018

I always liked being part of the chorus. Everyone's differences in voice adds depth to the whole. It's easy to believe that most of us prefer adding to the beauty of something larger than ourselves rather than pouting when we aren't in the spotlight.  This show, the Akar invitational, has been my favorite annual exhibition since Kyle Houser and Jim Gottuso turned me onto it (and the whole idea of Yunomi and Chawans. Thanks guys!) 10 years ago, back in 2008. Back then, the same as now, 200 functional ceramic artists each contributing 5 works... that's 1000 pieces.  As soon as I saw the first exhibition, I felt like a compass inside me spun and found a direction. I wanted to someday be asked to be part of this event.

TuleFog

This year will be my 2nd time, the difference this go-round is that Jessica Fong and I are exhibiting our collaborative work together under the FetishGhost banner. I'm pretty excited! It's proving to be an impressive lineup and just to be an asterisks in the exhibition notes is all its going to take to make me smile.  

I'm happy with the work that we submitted. A year of experiments and working through the problems paid off. The work is everything I was hoping it would be once it was finally in hand. 

Plesantly tactical 

Nicely sensuous

Still, now that the problem solving is done, the biggest risk that we're taking now is a risk that could very easily leave the work hanging unclaimed... 

We decided to honestly price the work. 

It's priced to reflect the real costs of making the it. 

It reflects its actual value.

We just needed to be content to show it proudly without relenting to the temptation to undersell it in the hope of gaining the validation of a red dot. (To be clear, I still would like that dot though.)

There's more at stake than our ego or dollar signs; honest pricing is about valuing the work that's being done. Sold or not sold, it has a value and before anyone else can be asked to respect that, we need respect the work ourselves first. Our craft is one of the very few gifts that we have to give to the world, it stands in place of us, to undervalue our gift cheapens what all of us are offering... 

Our best selves.

Be yourself and sing with the choir.

Ps all the proceeds are donated to Studio Potter magazine.